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Pigment characterisation of suspended matter in association with particulate heavy metal loadings in the German Bight and Elbe Estuary

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Abstract

The pigment fingerprints, determined by HPLC, of suspended matter from different areas of the German Bight and from the Elbe Estuary are presented. These include areas with suspended matter concentrations varying between 10 mg l−1 in the deeper waters in the middle of the Bight and 150 mg l−1 in the Elbe mouth. Pigment data allows the identification of three groups of suspended matter (marine, turbidity zone and Elbe) for the numerous different locations. The changes in pigment concentrations in the suspended matter over tidal cycles are considered. The presence of pigments and pigment breakdown productsi.e. lutein and chlorophyllides is used to assess the possible condition of the phytoplankton present in the suspended matter. These pigment characteristics are compared with the loading of the heavy metals cadmium, copper, manganese, iron, zinc and lead in the particulate matter. It has been demonstrated that the pigments of the planktonic material can be used very effectively to identify different types of suspended matter and that the heavy metal loadings of the suspended matter were significantly correlated with chlorophyll-a.

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Author notes

  1. Claus Geisler & Friedhelm Schroeder

    Present address: GKSS Forschungszentrum, Postfach 1160, D-21502, Geesthacht, Germany

  2. Karen Helen Wiltshire & Doris Krogmann

    Present address: Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews, KY16 8LB, St Andrews Fife, Scotland, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. GKSS Forschungszentrum, Postfach 1160, D-21502, Geesthacht, Germany

    Karen Helen Wiltshire & Doris Krogmann

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  1. Karen Helen Wiltshire
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  2. Claus Geisler
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  3. Friedhelm Schroeder
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  4. Doris Krogmann
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Wiltshire, K.H., Geisler, C., Schroeder, F. et al. Pigment characterisation of suspended matter in association with particulate heavy metal loadings in the German Bight and Elbe Estuary. Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology 29, 303–314 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02084229

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